Improvement in dog-powers



UNITED 4STATES PATENT FFICE@ FRANKLIN COLE, OF OONESUS, ASSIGNOR TO WVM. P. HENDERSHOTT, OF GROVELAND, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN DOG-POWERS.

To all whom t may concern:

Be 1t known that I, FRANKLIN GoLE, of the Y town of Oonesus, in the county of Livingston and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Animal Tread- Powers, (in the which I'have assigned all my right, title, and interest to WiLLrAM P. HEN- DERSHOTT, of Groveland, in the county and State aforesaid and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact descrip tion thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a side elevation of my improved power1nachine; Fig. 2, a front view of the same; and Fig. 3, a top view thereof, with a portion of thel revolving track cut away to show more clearly the position and arrange ment of the friction-wheels N and N and oscillatin g lever O.

Similar letters indicate like parts in each of the drawings.

My invention is designed to furnish a cheap and effective motive power for household pur poses. To obtain such a power I construct a revolving platform or trackway by laying` a circular track, A, upon the radial arms E E E E, Figs. 2 and 3, of a central shaft, F, Fig. 1, which are strengthened ai d supported by suitable braces,C C C G, Fig. 2. I then hang this platform at an inclination of about twenty degrecs to the Iorizon in a frame-work, substantially as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. This frame-work may properly consist of stout ground beams C and H, Fig. 2, intersecting each other centrally at right angles, having uprights B and B mortised into the beam C at such equal distances from the beam H as to exceed the radius of the revolving platform, which are united at the top by a cross-tie, D.

In order to strengthen the frame and support rmly the uprights, I place an additional foot-piece, K, Fig. l, under the end of the upright B, at right angles to the beam G, as a support for the braces c a'. J carnal-boxes or other bearings are formed to receive the journal ends of the shaft F of the revolving platform, in the center of the cross-tie D above and in the transverse beam H below. The shaft is thus placed in a vertical plane at right angles with that passing through the uprights B and B', and the degree of its inclination is determined by the distance at which the lower bearing in the beam H is removed from the intersection of these planes corresponding with the central intersection point of the beams C and H.

In order to direct the power derived from the revolution ofthe inclined c'rcular platform Aunder the combined intl uences of the weight and motion of an animal walking thereon to useful purposes, I form a continuous regularly undulating way or surface upon the under side of the platform, near its outer circumference, by arranging thereon a series of swelling curvilinear cams, M M M, Figs. l and 2, which project from this lower side at regular intervals to a uniform depth. These cams form a bearing-surface for two friction-wheels, N and N', pivoted in slots cut in a rocking lever, O,

at equal distances on either side of its fulcrnm. This rocking or oscillating lever 0, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, is supported and pivoted between two small standards, S, Fig. 2, ixed in the central beam, O, of the frame-work, and, consequently, in a plane coincident with that of the upper bearing of the platform-shaft F, but the slots in which the friction wheels or rollers N N are pivoted are placed in such a position upon the lever O as that the wheels revolve in planes at right angles to the diameter of the circular platform A. The distance between these frictionwheels N N bears such a proportion to the intervals between the maximum height of the several projections or cams M M, which form the undulating surface of the lower side of the platform A, as that when the wheel N is just passing one of the series of projections the remaining wheel N has nearly attained the following point of greatest depression, as clearly appears in Fig. l ofthe accompanying drawings. Hence, the revolution of the platform carrying the cams M M successively over the friction-wheels N N alternately depresses the one and the other, and thereby gives a constant oscillating movement to the lever O. The free motion of the wheels N N and the uniformity of the curves against which they play renders this movement of the lever perfectly easy, and but little power is absorbed in its working. By uniting the prolonged end e of the main lever O with a second lever, R, through the bridle-piece P, as

illustrated in Fig. l, its reciprocal motion can i be used directly in churning, &c., or it may be converted into a rotary movement by a suitable crank for other applications thereof.

Apen or stall in which to secure the ani mal when at Work upon the machine is formed by adding the side boards, l T, and an end piece, U, Figs. l and 3. y

I contemplate more particularly in this, my invention, machines to be worked by dogs for household purposes 5 but am aware that they may, with but slight modifications, be constructed as horse-powers, and consequently do not limit myseltl to any kind otl motive power.

As a reciprocating` movement has heretofore y been obtained from a revolving plane or disk by an arrangement of cams upon its surface operating against friction-rollers, I do not claim this feature of my invention as new in i itself; but I do believe that my machine is the first in which this principle has been applied to render available the power created by the gravity of a body moving upon a revolving v plane; hence,

What I claim as novel in my improvement in tread-power machines, hereinbeforc fully described, is-

1. The combination of an inclined revolving platform, A, with an oscillating lever, 0, by means of a regular series of projections, M M, upon said platform and one or more friction- Wheels, N N', upon said lever O, or their equivalents, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The peculiar arrangement of the friction- Wheels N N', in combination with an oscillatinglever, O, and a regular series of projections, M M, upon an inclined revolving platform, A, substantially inthe manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

The above specification of my improvement in dog-powers subscribed by me this 26th day oi' May, A D. 1863.

FR ANKLI N COLE.

ln presence of- U. A. RICHARDSON, L. B. RICHARDSON. 

